Peterborough Folk Festival

We welcome your submissions for PFF 2013 from October 1 2012 – February 28, 2013.

PFF 2013 – Guidelines for Submission

It’s a competitive process, with more than 1000 submissions of terrific music from across Canada and around the world. Performers who play the PFF represent the best of their style or genre; they have demonstrated excellence in their field and are performers we’re proud to support into the future.

We generally book artists who have a bio, an album, a print-ready band photo, a website, and other promotional tools that help us to promote their presence at the festival.  If you do not have these tools ready for your band, you may want to consider developing them before applying to professional gigs.

The PFF encourages submissions from all genres and walks of life.

The PFF Mandate includes the following aims:
- To foster communication within the community, between generations, cultures, and groups
- To expand the horizons of our audience through music and the arts
- To provide a safe space for community interaction
- To create partnerships within the community that offer mutual support and strength
- To maintain and protect the resources and environment which we inhabit for the benefit of future generations

Please read the following information carefully, and note that there are no exceptions to the deadlines, and we will not consider any submissions made via email.

Three ways to submit for the PFF:

Please note that the PFF does not accept any submissions made via email.

1. The Ontario Council of Folk Festival ’s Flash Your Folk initiative, via the annual October conference, is an excellent cost-affective and environmentally-friendly way to connect with a number of Artistic Directors and music industry professionals including the PFF.
2. Electronic applications are accepted exclusively through Sonic Bids. Sonicbids is the standard way for music industry professionals to send and receive press kits online. Follow this link to our E-drop-box or click on the logo.
3. Packages can also be sent by physical mail to:

Ptbo Folk Festival
Attn: Artistic Director

Sadleir House
751 George Street North
Peterborough, ON
K9H3T2

Once selected, performers will be required to provide a high resolution digital photo (300 dpi), 50 word electronic bio, 2 copies of their most recent CD release, tech rider and stage plot.

Performer Applications – Mail-In Applications

Please read this entire page carefully.
Any applications which do not conform to these standards will not be considered.

The Peterborough Folk Festival accepts applications for PFF 2013 beginning October 1, 2012.
The deadline for performers to apply to the festival is February 28, 2013
There are absolutely no exceptions to these deadlines.

Applications should include:
- 1 page info sheet (may be double-sided)
- 1 CD (suggest three best tracks)

The info sheet should include:
- a brief bio of the performer or band.
- a photo of the performer or band.
- Full contact info, including a website, mailing address, phone
number, and direct performer email.
- Short press quotes, if available.
- Upcoming gigs in our part of Ontario (near Peterborough) if any
- Workshop options (Ukelele, throat singing, gospel, hand percussion, Bhangra dance, etc.)

Anything more than a CD and 1 page bio will be recycled. Seriously.
Please do not send folders, gizmos, or expensive press kits.
Please remove the shrink-wrap from your CD
Please do not send vinyl (save it for your fans).
Please ensure there is contact info on every piece of material you send and include direct performer e-mail.
Please do not add the festival email address to your mailing list.

The Peterborough Folk Festival is committed to presenting original music, with a focus on diverse, high-quality performance. We encourage submissions of all types and genres of music.  Our upcoming  festival takes place August 23-25, 2013. We book performers for workshops, performance and mainstage for the Saturday of our festival, and for workshops on the Sunday.  In your submissions, please let us know whether you are interested/experienced in giving workshops that involved the audience in hands-on or otherwise participatory activities (i.e. playing instruments/dance/singing etc.) or more interested in taking part in workshops that you share with other performers.

All materials received by PFF and its agents remain the property of PFF. All packages are reviewed by the PFF’s Artistic Director. While all submissions are respectfully reviewed, due to the volume of material received only those of interest will be contacted.  It is the PFF’s goal to have contacted all artists by April 2013 for the 2013 festival.

Outgoing Artistic Director , JUNO Awards judge and long-time Canadian music professional Candace Shaw has written a number of helpful articles for Canadian musicians, and collected them on her website. Please follow this link to check them out!